GRST 205 Lecture 3: Early Greece//The Dark Age

• School: University of Calgary
• Department: Greek and Roman Studies
• Course: GRST 205
• Professor: Lindsay Driediger-Murphy

Document Summary

Mycenaean palaces: mycenae: mycenaean palace/citadel (c. 1350 bce) From pylos: tablets in mycenaean script (linear b: mycenaeans spoke an early form of ancient greek, surviving texts bureaucratic/administrative. "the estate of the king, seed at so much: 3600 litres of wheat. The lands of the officials, so much seed: 3600 litres of wheat. " "thus the mayors and their wives () will contribute bronze for ships and the points for arrows and spears: minoan language & script (linear a) remain undeciphered. Fire hardened clay tablets; they were never meant to be preserved: only have most recent records, bc they would flatten out the clay & write over it. Possible causes: dorian invasion (mythical explanation, mythos, greek word for "story, no archaeological evidence. Internal uprisings: taxation, natural disasters, earthquakes, climate change, drought, economic collapse, trade. Loss of literacy: no greek writing until c. 800 bce, almost total disappearance of figurative art, styles more crude, end of monumental building, no more state-level military/economic organization.